


Antivenom

by FlowersForAliens



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: (as a tag for those that wanna avoid spider stuff - none of my characters are arachnophobic), Age Difference, Arachnophobia, Canon-Typical Violence, Choking, F/M, Lots of technical jargon about spiders, Medical Trauma, More tags / characters will be added as I go, arachnids, but it's not a focal point
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:00:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25640209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlowersForAliens/pseuds/FlowersForAliens
Summary: Antivenom (n) - an antiserum containing antibodies against specific poisons, toxins, and venom, especially those found in the bites / stings or snakes, scorpions, and spiders.Alexander Nox is bitten by a dangerous arachnid in his research. The bite starts as a minor irritation, but sends a powerful venom coursing through his veins that takes ten years to dissolve his insides._________This is the origin story for my original character, Opal Otrava, and how she and Caustic traverse romance.
Relationships: Caustic | Alexander Nox/Original Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	1. Bite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexander Nox meets his match in the form of a twenty-something lab technician while working for Franklin Humbert. She's smart, resourceful, and overall one of the most infuriating individuals he's ever met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thanks for taking the time to dive into my super self indulgent oc fanfiction! Apex really has brought me back to my roots I guess. 
> 
> Some disclaimers and notes:   
> > Caustic is... well... Caustic. There is really no way I could perceive him having a romantic relationship with someone that was entirely healthy while still being in charcter. Keep that in mind when reading, I don't condone... most of their relationship lmao   
> > I had to do some DEEP digging in the lore for this. All of the cities / regions are canon (names at least), but we know next to nothing about them otherwise. So who knows how well the first chapter will hold up. 
> 
> Some notes on the spiders that Opal and Caustic were dealing with:   
> > Scarabaeidae Aracnia (canon name from Caustic's wiki), I've given them the name "Gaean Fog Spider" because they're from Gaea and they produce noxious gasses. We have no idea what they're supposed to look like, so I kinda winged that one as well.   
> > I did a LOT of research for these guys to make them as biologically pheasable as possible. They're based primarily on the Brazilian Wandering Spider, with some other concepts from other insects as well, specifcially the Bombardier Beetle. They have two types of defenses. 1.) The neurotoxin from their fangs, which is most similar to that of the wandering spider and 2.) the gas it produces that Caustic based his nox traps on. I believe that this is done in a similar way to the bombardier spider where they have two glands beneath their sternum that produce different substances. When the substances touch, they combust (thus producing gas), and the end result is a corrosive super heated substance.   
> > I wrote down WAY more details about these spiders than i realized I needed, and I may post them on twitter at some point, but this isn't supposed to be a spider fic it's supposed to be a Caustic fic. 
> 
> And finally, the art is courtesy of @ssup1ne on twitter! She's just now starting to get into apex, so please check her out!

(art by [@ssup1ne](https://twitter.com/ssup1ne) )

* * *

**April 18th, 2721**

Alexander paged through what felt like the tenth report from the entomology department that week. Each of them had been signed from Miss Otrava, by far one of the most insistent technicians he’d encountered to date. Why Dr. Petryov felt the need to shovel this gratuitous work onto Alexander’s desk was baffling. 

This time, the report was pertaining to the treatment of the arachnids in the entomology department. Something about how improving their habits would lead to better samples of the toxins his own department was working with. It could not have been further from pertinent to his work, but there was a level of academic responsibility he adhered to.

He had yet to have a proper conversation with this girl, but the detail with her reports written provided him a fair amount of insight into how _infuriating_ she was. Opal Otrava was more advanced than her peers, he’d afford her that, but she was also far more forward and off putting. That said, the idea of having to weed through another of these reports was exhausting. 

Alexander set the papers aside. It was after five o’clock, this was technically his free time, and the report was none of his business until 9AM. Pushing away from his desk his joints creaked in protest - he’d been sitting for far too long. The walk back to the labs would do him some good. 

The security system dinged when he slid his key card to enter the labs. It was nearing eight o’clock, and he was looking forward to having the labs to himself. He appreciated the quiet. 

But that was not the case. In the far corner of the room, directly opposite his designated station, sat the current bane of his existence - Opal Otrava. She had headphones in, oblivious to his presence, observing the insect habitats in front of her intently. Her pen tapped rhythmically against the counter, something that Alexander already couldn’t stand. 

He thought about ignoring it at first, but the silence he reveled in having the labs to himself called to him. He approached her station and cleared his throat. She didn’t hear him through her headphones. He stifled a groan before finally resorting to tapping her shoulder. 

Opal jumped, scrambling to take her headphones out. “Oh I’m sorry.” Her fawny brown hair was ruffled where she’d been leaning her head on her hand. She was wide eyed, accentuating the glasses on the bridge of her nose and the stark gray hue of her eyes. He must have spooked her. Good. “Can I help you, Dr. Nox?”

_Can you help me? The nerve...._

“Do you have permission to be here after hours, Miss Otrava.” His tone was terse. It was brutish, but he was not above relying on his apparent _intimidating_ demeanor (or so his mother had told him). 

All signs of alarm were gone and she raised her brows at him. “Yes, I do.” 

“And from whom, exactly?”

“Dr. Petryov.”

Of course. The buffoons he was forced to call his colleagues were a ceaseless source of irritation for Alexander.

“Well,” he cleared his throat, “Your presence is not required in the labs at this time. I’ll be certain to let Dr. Petryov know why you were unable to… whatever it is that you’re working on.”

Opal had the audacity to smile at him, resting her pen on the counter and swiveling on her stool to face him fully. “You know, Dr. Nox. I don’t work for you. I’m with the entomology department. I’m here to tend to _my_ projects involving Minerva and Arachne here.” 

For a brief moment, Alexander saw red. He was already writing his recommendation to terminate in his head. 

“This lab is dedicated to the development of pesticides, Miss Otrava.” His tone was cold, and he did well not to mask his irritation. 

She nodded. “Yes of course. And the small scale experiments that your techs have been running are fundamentally flawed.”

“Excuse me?”

She turned her attention back to the counter in front of her. There were two glass enclosed habitats in front of her, dotted with a few plants and a wooden branch. Inside each enclosure was a spider, approximately the size of a baseball, standing eerily still. 

“This one is Minerva, and this one is Arachne,” she started, motioning to each of the spiders respectively. Minerva was larger with dark, plum coloring. Arachne was noticeably smaller, but was a lighter shade of purple. Each spider had a series of bright gold bands around their front two legs. “They’re both sick. I believe it’s stress. Their habitats are far too small, and female Gaean Fog Spiders are notoriously aggressive towards their mates, similar to black widow spiders from earth, so it upsets them to be able to see one another. Neither of them are eating, and therefore the venom they are producing is far weaker than what would be observed in the wild.” 

Alexander peered into the aquariums to inspect the spiders. Admittedly, entomology was not one of his strengths, not that he’d admit any kind of weakness in front of someone so insolent. “If they are sick, explain the recent success that’s been recorded in the small scale experiments.” 

“Of course.” Opal turned to the testing chambers further down the counter. 

They three of these chambers were installed with treated plexiglass that was impervious to the corrosive effects of the pesticide. One chamber was empty, save for the beetles they’d taken to testing on. The other, however, was filled with foliage that was common in the agricultural region of Gaea. Opal activated the gas canisters attached to each chamber, and a faintly yellow mist filled them. Within moments, the beetles in the first chamber began to drop. 

“These beetles are being exposed to the exact dilution and amount of pesticide they would be exposed to in the fields of Amelia. However, they do not have any cover.” She pointed to the second tank. A noticeable number of the beatles had fallen to the floor of the chamber, twitching helplessly. However, upon further inspection, a number of beetles had quickly gathered under the leaves of the foliage, taking cover from the pesticide.

“The Gaean fog spider’s acidic venom does not affect fauna, and the particles we’re working with are far too large to be inhaled by beetles of this size. All they have to do is hide, and they’ll survive.”

Alexander was distracted, momentarily, from how frustrated he was with Opal. He was actually… impressed. Not that he would _ever_ admit that out loud. It was an oversight, yes, but one that should not have occurred. Briefly, he recalled fighting Dr. Humbert on the idea of bringing such a specialized roll onto their operation, but now he was witnessing it pay off in real time. 

Opal interrupted his thoughts. “The effectiveness of the pesticide is an oversight. It’d probably get caught down the line. But Minerva and Arachne need better habitats.” She looked back up at him. “You know, they’re a protected species on Gaea. It’d be problematic if they died.”

He mulled over her words. She had a point. The arachnids in question were rare, and capturing them was dangerous.

“Very well. I’ll speak with Dr. Humbert about additional funding for… arachnid treatment.” he conceded. “But I must say, Miss Otrava, this work seems to be above your paygrade. Isn’t it your job to merely observe the tests as they are being performed?”

Opal smiled gently. “I’m not here for the paycheck, Dr. Nox.” She turned back to the spiders. “The opportunity to work with these amazing creatures is more than enough for me.” 

Alexander was taken aback. His standards for the lab technicians were low, to say the least. Ten years in the field had left him with a particular brand of cynicism towards the newer “career” scientists, as he’d call them, people who got into the sciences for the promise of a big payoff. Opal Otrava’s brief moment of passion in front of him was a refreshing change of pace. 

“So, are you still kicking me out of the lab?” she pressed. Cheeky. 

He didn’t provide an answer, instead opting to return to his own work.

* * *

**March 31st, 2722**

Alexander was begrudgingly becoming accustomed to the lengthy reports Miss Otrava submitted - directly to him now, he noted, rather than to her supervisor. The amount of work she put into the reports was excessive, but thorough. They covered a range of topics, almost none of which pertained to her actual job (or his own for that matter), but her assignments didn’t seem to suffer, and the information she was providing him with invaluable. 

Once again they were sharing the lab in what Alexander could only describe as comfortable silence. Most nights, Opal had her headphones in unless she was tending to the spiders. They had this arrangement three or four nights a week, and he was beginning to wonder if she ever went home. Conversation was rare, thankfully, save for Opal’s more animated moments. She _really_ loved those spiders, which was almost endearing. 

But that was a dangerous line of thinking.

He realized a few weeks in that she actually wasn’t accumulating overtime. Opal was tending to the spiders in her spare time, which was an uncommon move from the hourly lab techs. Alexander was accustomed to fresh out of school students who shirked their responsibilities when their shift was over. Few were as attentive as Miss Otrava. 

She had built two rather bulky habitats for the spiders, taking up an obnoxious amount of counter space, with little care for the irritation it brought her colleagues. Each enclosure had living foliage now, and Opal had taken it on herself to change up their diet as well. Whatever changes she made seemed to work, however, as the spiders had grown to a menacing size over the last few months. Similarly, the pesticide experiments he’d overseen were showing more positive results. 

Opal Otrava showed promise at Humbert Labs. 

Alexander wasn’t certain how to feel about that. 

The night, like most, passed quietly, but he had a lot of work to weed through. With a sigh, he moved to the coffee maker to refresh the pot. While the maker brewd, he peered over at Opal’s station. She wasn’t looking at him, she almost never did, instead focussed very intently on the spiders. She was preparing to take a venom sample from one of them. Alexander wondered if he should be polite and offer her a cup of coffee… but he’d never seen her drink coffee, and perhaps the offer, after a month of not offering, would be strange. 

A quiet gasp, followed by the sound of metal hitting the counter prompted him from his thoughts. Opal still wasn’t looking at him, but now she was rushing to get the spider back into its enclosure. Something seemed off about her demeanor, she never rushed, especially when it came to the insects, and it was enough to give him pause. She scrambled to put her tools away, stepping away from her station to grab a vial from the refrigerator and - and a first aid kit?

“Dr. Nox, can I get your help with… something?” This was the first time Alexander had ever heard her sound uncertain of something. He approached her station. Without warning, she thrust the bottle of rubbing alcohol from the first aid kit into his hand. “Can you please open this for me?”

He looked her over momentarily, quickly spotting the nasty looking puncture wounds on the inside of her arm. There was a sudden sense of urgency - those spiders were deadly, after all. “Miss Otrava, I’ll contact emergency service for y-”

“No!” She snapped. “Not yet, at least.” 

_What?_

She poured the rubbing alcohol over the wound, hissing quietly when it made contact. “This neurotoxin hasn’t ever been observed in a lab setting, so the symptoms have never been formally recorded. I should take notes while I have the opportunity.” 

“That’s preposterous-”

She cut him off again. “I have an experimental anti-venom, and you can call the ambulance shortly. I just need to record this information, Dr. Nox.”

There was an unfamiliar tone to her voice. Strained, perhaps from the deadly toxin coursing through her veins, and pleading. They’d only known each other for a year, but Alexander did not take her as the type to ask for something. 

Opal dug around in her desk for her a stopwatch, and her pockets for her phone. She started the clock, and began recording an audio file on her phone. “My name is Opal Otrava, the date is-” she looked at the calendar, “March 31st, 2722. I was bitten on my left arm by a female Scarabada Aracnia approximately… two minutes ago.” 

The girl was shockingly methodical, despite the obvious pain she was in. 

“I’ve already lost sensation and motor function in my left hand, accompanied by some trembling in my fingers. My pulse is approximately-” She pressed her right hand to her neck, “140 over 91-”

“Miss Otrava, you’re hypertensive,” Alexander had humored this long enough. “I’m calling an ambulance-”

She stared him down with shocking intensity. He wasn’t used to being challenged like that, and it stirred an indescribable feeling in the pit of his stomach. Anxiety, perhaps? 

“Dr. Nox is accompanying me, he’s going to help by redying the syringe with the experimental antivenom, as I can’t use one of my hands.” 

Or perhaps it was frustration. 

Nonetheless, Alexander conceded. He moved around to Opal’s right side, quickly washing his hands in the sink, before eying the vial on the counter. It wasn’t marked as any kind of antivenom, but rather with a piece of tape with Opal’s name and what he could only assume was an experiment number. This set set off warning alarms in his head as he readied the syringe, fearing the worst. 

“You do understand this is insane, right?” He grumbled, capping the syringe and setting it on the counter to wait for instruction. 

She smiled at him. “There is no other antivenom for this spider’s neurotoxin. If I just go to the hospital, I’ll probably die anyway.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Is that supposed to make me feel better about the insanity of this situation?”

The girl let out a breathy chuckle. “The data I’m recording here could potentially save lives, Dr. Nox. Neurotoxins like this have so many medical applications. No one else in this lab understands the necessity I feel to push the boundaries of scientific exploration like you might... So I’m okay with my odds.”

_“No one else…”_

Opal, someone who should have a working relationship with him just barely above the “asking about your weekend” level, was quite literally entrusting her life to him… in the name of science. 

Alexander caught himself on the verge of dangerous thought and cleared his throat. “Well then. How long would you like me to wait to administer this untested, experimental antivenom?”

She cracked a grin, the cheeky edge he’d grown somewhat fond of shining through the rapidly draining color of her cheeks. “I’ll let you be the judge of that.”

“Right.” he looked at the stop watch. Three minutes. “What symptoms should I be looking for to signal that?”

“Gaean Fog spiders contain two venoms, one that it aerates, like the bombardier beetle. That’s the one you’ve been testing as a pesticide. The other is a potent neurotoxin that is most similar to that of a blue ringed octopus from earth.” 

She was already losing her breath, and he could see the faint sheen of sweat forming on her temple. 

Alexander made a motion with his hand to usher her along. “A little more succinct please.” 

She nodded. “Typically, these kinds of toxins cause nausea, hypertension, and paralysis. It’s been roughly-” She looked at the stop watch. “Four minutes since contact, and the paralysis has spread to my shoulder.”

He pursed his lips, immediately apprehensive to her methods once more. “I assume you’re asking me to wait until the paralysis has spread to your diaphragm, but before you suffocate slowly?”

Opal breathed a small laugh. “See, you get it. The toxin seems to be progressing… quickly. So maybe call the ambulance no- Excuse me.”

She pushed past him, leaning into the sink to throw up. Her back heaved, wheezing with the sudden movement. She kept her head hung low, presumably to keep the labs from spinning around her, using his free hand to support herself on the counter. It was only a few feet, but she gasped to catch her breath. 

“After less than five minutes of exposure, I’m noting significant spotting in my vision on the right side of my head, and a tremor in my left fingers.” Her words were starting to slur, despite the apparent clarity of her thoughts. She made an attempt to straighten herself up, causing her knees to buckle suddenly. 

Alexander couldn’t wait any longer. He moved away from the counter long enough to hit the emergency button on the phone at the door. He tersely relayed the situation to the operator, and requested emergency assistance before quickly moving back to his technician. He grabbed the syringe off the counter, popping the cap to prepare for the injection. 

“Wait…” Opal grasped his hand - her fingers were ice cold and clammy, weakly hooking onto his own. Despite the dilation of her pupils, she still looked alert. Uncomfortable, but alert. And desperate. 

“Miss Otrava, this is enough data-” 

“Dr. Nox, I’m not going to be at work for a few days.” Her voice cracked, she wheezed. “Please don’t let them euthanize Minerva, it’s not her fault this happened.” 

Alexander was taken by a sudden anger. This was getting ridiculous. “You know, they could fire you for this? And you’re worried about the creature that killed you.” 

Opal smiled. Gray eyes gazed up at him in an unsettlingly calm way. “I trust you’ll take care of that for me, Dr. Nox.” 

Her hand seized around his, her body suddenly rigid. Her chest all but stopped contracting - the paralysi had started spreading to her diaphragm. That was his cue. He first examined the afflicted arm, feeling that the antivenom would be most effective there. In the fray he’d forgotten about the actual bite wound, which was swollen and angry. The veins in her left arm were bulging against her skin, slowly but surely turning to a sickening magenta color. Fearing the veins had begun to necrotize, he inserted the needle into the jugular vein on the right side of her neck and pushed the plunger down. 

He had no way of knowing if the antivenom was working, or how it would work for that matter. All he could do was keep a finger on her pulse and count the minutes until the emergency crew arrived. Anxiety crept into the back of his head as he watched the painfully shallow rise of her chest. Lab technicians had died while in his employ, ten years in the pesticide industry came with a certain level of risk. Even he had fallen victim to careless mistakes in the past. But this was different, nerve wrecking, and it gnawed at his brain while he waited. 

When the emergency crew arrived, he fell into the background and let them work. They asked him questions, which he answered with white lies and as many facts as he could provide safely without incriminating either of them. He retrieved Opal’s emergency contact information from the employee files, handing that and the half empty vial of antivenom over to the EMTs before they left. 

It was suddenly silent again. Alexander looked over the work station for a few moments, an unfamiliar restlessness filling his brain. Her phone was still recording, the counter covered in rubbing alcohol, papers, and droplets of blood. 

He sighed, and took to tidying. He stopped the recording, tucking her phone and stop watch into the back of her drawer for safe keeping. The counters were wiped down, the first aid kit tucked away in the corner once more. Loath to throw away any of her papers, he tucked them into one of the plastic bags they used to preserve contaminated substances, and tucked them back into her desk as well. Finally, he retrieved a sheet of paper and jotted down a few notes. 

_March 31st, 2722_

_Summary of side effects related to contact with adult female Scarabada Aracnia._

_Time of exposure: ~7:53PM_

_Antivenom Administered: ~7:59PM_

_Affected area: Right arm_

_Symptoms observed:_

  * _Paralysis of afflicted arm within 60 seconds of contact, followed by involuntary muscle movements._


  * Hypertension (Pulse ~140 over 90, ~90 seconds after contact) 


  * Nausea


  * Partial blindness disproportionately affecting the right side


  * Partial paralysis of the diaphragm


  * Discoloration of veins in the immediate vicinity of the bite



Alexander signed his name at the bottom of the page and slipped the sheet into the drawer. Finally he returned to his desk and took a sip of the coffee he’d made earlier. It was lukewarm. 

* * *

**January 5th, 2723, 7:45PM**

The lab was silent, save for the periodic chirp of the fire alarm. The rest of the staff had stepped out, having been granted a half day for Dr. Petryov’s birthday. Alexander was invited, oddly enough, but he had other things to attend to. 

He had a meeting with Franklin Humbert at nine. Alexander wandered aimlessly if there was a point in waiting until nine, given the subject, but concluded that there was something cathartic about spending the evening sipping coffee at his desk. 

It was 7:45 PM. A little more than an hour to go when the door to the lab slid open. He looked up and met eyes with Opal. 

Her cheeks were pink, obviously a little tipsy from whatever festivities she had been attending that evening. She’d forgone her typical lab attire for something more suited for socializing - a high waisted skirt with a fitting insect themed print, and a simple black shirt. Usually, she wore leggings and flats (not that that was something he paid attention to), but that night she was wearing a pair of stockings that stopped halfway up her thighs, just shy of the hem of her skirt. 

_Careful, Alexander_. 

He returned his gaze to her face, watching as the girl approached his desk. She had a bottle of liquor tucked into the crook of her arm. “I knew you’d be here. Good.” she hummed. 

The bottle clinked against his desk when she set it down, and Alexander furrowed his brows in question. 

“This is your brand, right?” It was, but she didn’t give him the chance to respond. “I know it is. I saw the bottle you keep in your office, you always have some after your meetings with Dr. Humbert.”

“How observant.” he offered. “Why are you here, Miss Otrava?”

She chuckled. “So impatient. Gimme a second, I have to feed the girls.” 

Opal turned her attention to the habitats on the counter. Minerva produced a menacing hiss that the girl was obviously not affected by. “Yes, yes, Minny. Someday you will get your chance to kill me. In the meantime, please accept these little mice as tribute.” She talked to them as if he wasn’t there.

Alexander was loath to admit that he’d learned the spider's names, but it was difficult to forget them after the harrowing experience in March. The nickname Opal had for Minerva, however, was new. It seemed she’d only grown more fond of them after they had almost killed her. It was somewhat endearing.

The girl walked back over to his desk, pulling a chair with her to sit across from him. She grabbed two coffee mugs from beside the coffee maker, and poured them both a generous shot. 

The man accepted his drink with a nod. “Wasn’t here some sort of party this evening?”

“There was. And I left to feed the spiders. Like humans, they need food and occasionally socialization, or else they get cranky. You should take notes.” Opal swirled her drink around before taking a sip. “I also came to see you.”

The latter statement brough Alexander’s thoughts crashing to a halt. 

“We’ve spent almost every friday for the last year and a half in this lab together. It feels weird to break up that routine.” Alexander’s chest felt tight. She continued. “Besides, the thought of you sitting here nursing your bland coffee alone made me sad. So I brought us both some whiskey.” 

He needed to recalculate the course. “This is a kind gesture, Miss Otrava, bu-”

“Alex, _please_. It’s been almost two years. You can call me Opal.”

The sudden lack of formality left him feeling exposed. He used titles like “miss” and “doctor” to build a wall between him and the other scientists. In just a few short moments, Opal had torn that wall down. He was violently reminded of their first encounter, how forward the girl had been with him since day one. It suddenly dawned on Alexander that the blonde sitting across from him had been stomping over the boundaries he’d established with virtually no effort. 

And it was terrifying. 

Opal tapped the ceramic mug lightly. “You know, expressing a shred of humanity once in a blue moon won’t kill you.” 

_I beg to differ._

“And expressing a shred of discretion once in a blue moon won’t kill _you_.” he offered in return. 

The girl laughed. “C’mon. I know I’m growing on you a little bit.” 

Alexander straightened himself. “Elaborate.” 

“Well, for one, ten months ago, I almost died from a foolish mistake-”

“And an extremely foolish decision immediately following.” 

She narrowed her eyes at him playfully. “And you still found it in your three-sizes-too-small heart to honor my requests _and_ save my job.”

He mulled the thought over momentarily. She had a point. He had lied on the incident report, omitting the time they waited from when Opal was bitten and when the emergency services were called, omitting the fact that he’d taken part in the use of an untested, unauthorized antivenom. On paper, they both should have been fired, and Minerva should have been destroyed. But neither of those things happened. 

“There is such a thing as scientific integrity. It would have been a shame to compromise your future over such a… daring endeavor. Few people would have the courage to try something like that.”

Opal scoffed. “Of course. Integrity. That’s what that was.” she knocked back the rest of her drink. “I’d also like to point out that I just called you “Alex”, and you didn’t say a word about it.” 

He froze. She was right, and Alexander was honestly surprised with himself. Was he truly that comfortable in her presence that he’d let something like that slide?

When he thought about it, he’d spent more time in Opal’s presence in the last eighteen months than he had with… well, anyone else. They shared countless evenings in the lab together, albeit in virtual silence. He knew that, besides insects, Opal love cephalopods, and that she wanted to explore the medical applications of the toxins she was studying in her spare time. She didn’t drink coffee, and he knew that she was an Aquarius - Astrology was a joke, as far as he was concerned, but Opal was very adamant that this was an important tidbit to know. Her parents were teachers from Harmony, but she appreciated the larger cities found on Gaea. Alexander slowly realized that he knew a great deal more about her than their other coworkers, even Franklin Humbert. 

Idly, his gaze fell on her hand wrapped around the coffee mug. There was a slight tremor in fingers, barely noticeable if you weren’t actively looking for it. Alexander thought back to that night, to the trembling of her fingers against the counter. He found himself wondering silently what the venom felt like, if it was a searing hot sensation, or a chilling one like her fingers were that night. 

He was getting desperate for diversion. “How is your arm?”

Opal’s features softened in a way that Alexander swore would cause him physical pain. She rolled her arm over and tugged her shirt sleeve up. There was some scar tissue from the bite (he recalled learning after the fact that Minerva’s chelicerae were capable of breaking a finger), and the veins in the area were still noticeably discolored. The tremor was more obvious now, the muscles in her forearm flexing at random intervals, twitching her fingers. 

“It’s fine, really.” she prompted his attention back to her face. “Hurts sometimes, but not bad. My neurologist says it’s unlikely that I'll regain feeling in my fingers, but the tremors might go away eventually. 

Alexander sighed, the idea of Opal’s long term discomfort souring the taste of the whiskey.

“That face right there!” the girl thrust her finger towards his face, “That’s three to zero, doctor. You’re worried about me.” 

He had to cover his tracks. “Worried about your mental state, perhaps. That was quite the stunt.” 

Opal laughed, “Yeah, well…” her tone was quieter. “I really appreciate what you did for me that night.”

He cleared his throat. “I did what had to be done in the name of science.” 

“Yeah, Science.” She smiled. “Still, thank you. I’m gonna do good things with that data.” 

There was something about the earnest nature of Opal’s words that wore through his defenses like a hot knife. 

“I’m certain you will, Miss Otrava.” 

She made a face at him, and stood. “I should get going. I have some errands to run tomorrow.”

Alexander stood with her, his mouth moving before his brain could catch up. “I’ll walk you to the entrance.” 

Opal offered a sly smile. “That might be the most polite thing you’ve ever offered.” 

“You mean besides risking my job and saving your life?”

“I don’t recall that being an offer.” 

They both smiled. 

Alexander glanced at his watch. 8:15PM.

The elevator ride to the entrance of the labs passed in silence, and Alexander was grateful for that. Their short conversation had given him a lot to think about, despite the abysmal timing. Once in the lobby, Opal slipped her coat on. 

“I’ll see you on Monday, Dr. Nox. Try not to have too much fun waiting on Dr. Humbert.” she teased, turning to the door. 

He knew he wouldn’t see her on monday, so the sentiment created a bubble of dread in the bit of his stomach. 

_“Expressing a shred of humanity once in a blue moon won’t kill you.”_

Alexander spoke, again without thinking. “Miss Otrava.” 

The girl turned back to him once again with an expectant expression.

He gave in. “Ah, hm... Opal?” 

She grinned, and suddenly the vulnerable lack of titles felt a little more worth it. He closed the distance between them, only a few steps, and she tilted her head to look up at him. Alexander’s body moved on it’s own, his hand reaching to touch her face. Her cheeks flushed, highlighting the freckles across the bridge of her nose. He brought their faces closer, hesitating for only a moment, but long enough for Opal to take initiative. She clutched the sleeve of his lab coat and leaned up on her tip-toes to press their lips together. 

Alexander lingered for a moment before separating. He immediately regretted the impulse. This was foolish, _selfish,_ but the pink hue on the girl’s cheeks and the giddy smile she met him with when she fell back on her heels was intoxicating. 

“Took you long enough.” she hummed, releasing her grip on his lab coat. How long had she been waiting for something like that?

How long had he?

He felt sick. 

“Good night, Alex. I’ll see you on monday.” 

“Good night, Opal.” 

The lobby doors slid shut behind the girl, leaving Alexander once more in silence. It was 8:25PM. 35 minutes to go. 

Alexander stepped back onto the elevator. 35 minutes was a good thing, he had a few more things to do before his meeting with Franklin Humber than originally planned. Once back in the labs, he cast his attention to the spider habitat. Arachne was still working on the feeder mouse that Opal had given them earlier, but Minerva had absconded with hers. With a small sigh, he readied the cages used to transport the spiders, adhering to the rigorous checklist Opal had prepared in the event that they needed to be moved. Once they were ready, he checked his watch once more. 8:45PM. 

He picked up the phone and called Franklin's assistant. His name was Jackson, and he was an intern, just barely twenty years old. There were fifteen minutes left in his shift, and Alexander knew that the young man would be frustrated with the request. 

“Yes, hello Jackson. I have a task for you… Yes I know what time it is, and if it wasn’t imperative, I wouldn’t ask. I need you to make a delivery. Yes I’ll write the address down, the items are on the counter. Immediately, please. Dr. Humbert says you can go home right after.” 

He put the phone back on the receiver and scrawled a few notes onto a piece of paper. And set it gingerly on top of Minerva’s cage. She hissed at him, and the man stooped down to look into the cage. “Well, Minerva. I think you’ll be a fan of your new accommodations.”

The door slid open, Jackson stepping into the labs as requested. Alexander stepped away from the spiders silently, and did not acknowledge the intern as he tentatively lifted the cages. Once he was gone, the man checked his watch one final time. 8:50PM. 

Time to get ready

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tune in next time for chapter 2, "Venom", or "How can Caustic possibly manage to dig a deeper hole than the one he's in?"
> 
> Thanks for reading! Kudos and comments are much appreciated! There are def. only going to be three chapters, and my goal is to have chapter 2 out by Friday!


	2. Venom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for this individual chapter:   
> \- Canon typical violence   
> \- Some more personal violence directed at Opal (choking, etc)  
> \- Someone else gets poisoned in this chapter too.
> 
> Some notes for this chapter! As far as headcanons go: 
> 
> \- “Legend” is a status achieved by certain apex competitors. These are the best of the best, which explains why the Legends are so famous and stuff. New competitors have to work their way up from the bottom, and as they do, they get certain perks, like a private cabin on the drop ship, etc. This is also an explanation for how large the maps are vs. how few canon legends we have.   
> \- That being said, I think there is a way to bypass this - those cards that Kuban Blisk hands out.   
> \- I believe that the experiments that were done on Wratih lead to the respawn system. At first I thought about some sort of cloning system, but i think that’s too messy, so instead this is how I think it works. As soon as the banner on a body is picked up / times out, that competitor is teleported to the dropship for intensive healing, probably something to do with the med chamber. I’ll have to research how the meds work in the game.   
> \- It’s worth noting that this chapter takes place in Season 3. For those of you who didn’t play during that time, the major differences to note: Fragment hadn’t been destroyed yet, and was called Capital City. Bloodhound Trials did not exist, only the top of the mountain was accessible. It was called Sniper’s Overlook or smn.

**October 2733**

Caustic paged through the competitor information dossier that was sent to them with each new season. For the most part, it contained basic, public information about the competitors. They all had a certain level of control over this information - he wasn’t the only criminal competing after all. 

Opal had gall, that was for sure, keeping her name public like this.

The man pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He couldn’t believe something like that had snuck passed him. Perhaps it was intentional? Using the waves that the hacker from Gaea had made to hide her own actions. It had been ten years, but the absolutely infuriating tenacity she had was still there. And it was dangerous. 

To Opal’s credit, she had been competing for weeks, but that day marked the match that would decide her status as a legend. It was amazing that they hadn’t encountered one another yet. Perhaps that was intentional too. World’s Edge was a big place, and the competitor pool itself was large enough that it was unlikely they would come face to face any time soon. 

Or so he thought. 

_ “Approaching drop zone.”  _

Caustic made his way to the drop deck, silently watching the team assignments flash across the screen. First was his own portrait, then Miss Paquette’s. That was somewhat of a relief. She was competent, intelligent, and far less annoying than some of the other legends. 

The final name came up: Opal Otrava. 

His chest tightened uncomfortably. 

Caustic stepped into position on the left of the platform, Natalie followed suit at the center. Opal fell in step last, flashing them both a smile. 

He looked her over briefly, a part of him still clinging to the outlandish hope that this was some sort of bizarre coincidence. Of course it wasn’t.

There were some dramatic differences in her appearance, as one would expect from ten years away. Her hair was longer now, more notably dyed a sage green, but her bangs still hung in her face.She wore her hair pinned up to the side in a playful loop, with a deep purple clip. In place of her glasses was a transparent visor affixed to her ears, tinted a pale teal color. Her outfit was reserved, which was to be expected from her. A well fitting, prussian blue tunic and a dark gray vest with bright purple and cyan colored details that hung lower in the back than in the front. Affixed to her thigh was a strap and a pouch, undoubtedly containing whatever tools she had approved through the games.    
  
Admittedly, he was curious. 

Despite the changes, she was painfully recognizable. The way she held herself, the side eye she gave him as the platform started it’s descent, the half smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. He thought, momentarily, that it was odd to see her without the lab coat on. He’d only ever seen her like that once…

“How exciting!” Miss Paquette interrupted his thoughts. The blonde nudged him with her elbow. “Don’t worry, Opal, Dr. Caustic and I will do everything in our power to get you into legend status! Isn’’t that right?” 

This situation was more difficult that he initially thought. Miss Paquette had a way of prompting him to speak far more often than he preferred. He cleared his throat. “Well, losing is certainly not a desired outcome, Ms. Paquette.”

Opal hummed. “Ms. Paquette? How formal.”    
  


He hadn’t missed that tone.

“But I appreciate the sentiment. This is exciting.” She leaned forward a bit to look past Natalie at him. “I’m sure I’m in great hands.” 

The platform lowered, they were above Lava City. Natalie was the jump master, which was a favorable situation. She was more methodical than some, didn’t chase kills. Opal was an outlier. Caustic had no idea what her play style was like, and she was hard to read as ever. 

Capital City was the hot spot, and the train was heading in that direction as well. A staggering number of combatants dropped over that area, but it appeared Natalie had other plans. She pinged the car corner of Skyhook, fairly out of the way from the path of the drop ship. That was a win lose scenario for him. They’d have ample time to search for equipment, and ample time for conversation. 

They were on the ground for a painfully quiet few minutes before Opal spoke. “It’s an honor to meet you, Ms. Paquette. The research you’ve done in the electric engineering field is amazing!” 

Caustic bristled. The idea of Natalie and Opal fraternizing raised red flags in his head. 

“The honor is all mine!” Natalie fawned. “I read some of the papers you published on the Gaean fog spiders, they were fascinating!”

He had read those papers, and the girl was correct. Not that he’d ever admit it. 

They looted quickly, Opal opting for a Longbow and a Wingman. It was an interesting combination. Suiting. 

Natalie pinged an enemy on the second floor of the building at the center of Skyhook. Gibraltar, Wraith, and Octane. 

“It appears we are undetected.” Caustic offered, lowering his sights to glance at Natalie and Opal. “Focus on Gibraltar first. Isolate him and the team will fall apart.”

The other two agreed, though Opal offered a smile that was suspiciously snide. “Alright, Doctor.” She reached into the pouch at her thigh, pulling a single round out. She chambered it in her Longbow. She had opted for mid range sights, which he found curious, but he wasn’t about to start a conversation about it. WIthout a word, Opal lined up a shot, hitting Gibraltar square between the shoulder blades. 

The shot startled the team, Wraith and Octane breaking their formation swiftly. Gibraltar dropped his shield as cover while he ducked behind a wall, deflecting Caustic’s gas grenade. He cursed, shooting a piercing glare in Opal’s direction, but she was already moving towards the team. Natalie split off from the two of them, announcing that she’d be the one to take care of Wraith. 

“Find Gibraltar. He’s probably healing.” Caustic rumbled at her. 

Opal hummed. “Mm, I don’t think so.” 

They rounded the corner and happened upon Gibraltar struggling with his syringe. The serum was injecting without issue, but didn’t seem to take effect. Caustic wasted no time in finishing him off. That was one down. 

The killfeed flashed with Wraith’s name. Natalie had been successful. That left Octane, which put them at a bit of a disadvantage. Octane was fast, they were not. 

Opal loaded another shell into her longbow. “Just tell me when you get eyes on him.”

Natalie pointed out his position - he was making a bee line towards them with a mastiff in hand. Opal lined up a shot, hitting him center mass. Caustic knew Octane had full shields, so a single shot wouldn’t be nearly enough to stop him. But to his surprise, the young heir’s movement seized mid stride, and he fell to the ground rigidly. Natalie was closest to his position, and emptied the last of her rounds into his back, making the end of their squad. 

They took a few moments to loot up before moving back to their original location. Natalie threw her arms around Opal’s shoulders and jumped, buzzing with excitement. “That was amazing! Were those shots made with the neurotoxins you worked with?”

Opal’s cheeks lit up at the praise, prompting Caustic to divert his gaze. “Ah- Yes. It’s easy to weaponize natural substances like those neurotoxins. After all, the spiders do that to defend themselves and hunt down their prey.” 

“Do you mind explaining how they work? I didn’t get to see what happened to Mr. Gibby!” 

The girl nodded a little, reaching into the pouch at her hip once more. She produced two shells, giving them the opportunity to look at them more closely this time. One was one was cased in a deep purple casing, the other in a green one. “The purple shell reacts with the serum in the med kits. It neutralizes it, so that you can’t recover for a period of time between fights. The green one is an agent that induces paralysis for roughly five seconds.” 

Caustic furrowed his brows. Those toxins were indeed formidable. 

He was getting antsy. Natalie was far too personable for her own good, and Opal had this natural magnetism that was hard to avoid. Their chatter faded into dull white noise as Caustic attempted to wrap his head around the situation. If he was painfully honest, Natalie was the last person he wanted interacting with Opal. They were each their own beacon of dramatically different parts of his life. Parts that he had no desire to meet. 

Opal was a wild card. She always had been. From her first day on the job at Humbert labs, to the very situation before him. He’d think for a second that he had figured out, established some sort of pattern of behavior, and then she’d be onto her next insane action. It was exhausting. What frightened him the most was that he had absolutely no idea what her end goal was, only the suffocating level of tenacity she had. He was brought back to their last night together, in the entryway of the labs. 

_ “Took you long enough.” _

Anxiety gripped his chest. 

Certainly this was some sort of vengeful game. She knew how limited his options were, driven straight into a web of his own lies, and she planned to watch him squirm. 

_ (Revenge? For a mere kiss?) _

His eyes narrowed on girls with him. It would take all but a few words for her to undo work he’d achieved over the last ten years. 

“Miss Opal, is it true that you worked for Humbert labs when that…. Incident happened?”

That brought Caustic’s thoughts to a screeching halt. 

Opal thought for a moment. “Are you referring to what happened to Dr. Humbert? And the fire? Yes, I did.” 

His blood ran cold. 

Natalie looked giddy. “Not to be crude, but what was it like working there? Were you there when it happened?”

Opal laughed airily, waving her hand a little in an attempt to dismiss the intensity of Natalie’s questioning. “Honestly, the night that all happened, I was at a birthday party for one of the other doctors. I didn’t know about it until the following morning.”

“Did you work with the doctor that did it?

He swore Opal made eye contact with him in that moment. There was no possible truth that would work in his favor. 

“Well, it was a small lab. I worked with everyone there at least once. But we were in different departments, so I didn’t interact a lot.”

Her answer - her lie, pulled at something unidentifiable in his chest. That was the best case scenario, a lie that erased the connection between the two of them, but it still left a sour taste in his mouth. 

_ “Round 3.” _

The ring had closed to their advantage. They secured a building early on, played the waiting game, and teams came to them. Natalie was on a different playing field that day, and had secured 8 kills at that point. 

It was down to the last two teams and an uncomfortably small ring. Mirage, Bangalore, and Bloodhound threw everything they had at them at one time, starting with Bangalore’s Rolling Thunder. Natalie was able to thwart the majority of the missiles with her Interception Pylon, but they were still confined to the area. A small army of decoys dispersed across the field but were quickly dealt with by one of Caustic’s gas grenades. 

Bloodhound’s sonar cut through the gas before he had a chance to lay more defenses. They charged him, taking him off guard, and sending them both toppling to the ground. Caustic struggled, quickly losing track of the rest of the fight to focus on the matter at hand. He managed to kick Bloodhound off him, and they exchanged rounds, cracking shields and drawing blood. They landed a crippling blow to his shoulder with the final shot of their flatline, discarding the weapon in favor of the axe they always kept at their side. 

“The gods have decided, Doctor.”

Caustic grit his teeth. “Even you are capable of joking, it seems.” 

Two metallic  _ pops _ pierced his ears, and Bloodhound fell into the grass before him. Opal stood behind them, relaxing her shoulders when she was sure their adversary had fallen, and flashing him a smile. She stepped over Bloodhound unceremoniously, and offered him a hand to help him off the ground. Caustic narrowed his eyes at her, brushing her hand to the side and pulling himself off the ground. The girl deflated and -  _ Is she pouting? _

Natalie prompted their attention as she downed Mirage. 

_ “A new Champion has been decided.” _

“See, that wasn’t so bad, Doctor.” Opal hummed, holstering her wingman. “Thanks for the win.” 

Caustic did not acknowledge her. 

* * *

**One Week Later**

The corridor leading to his cabin seemed particularly daunting that evening. Since her most recent victory in the ring, Opal had been given the opportunity to move into the cabins with the other legends. Her cabin was nestled perfectly between where he was standing and his own cabin. 

Admittedly, he’d been watching the girl carefully from a distance. He had yet to ascertain her motives, however, and the lack of development was proving particularly exasperating. He expected her to at least approach him, to generate some sort of confrontation. But she hadn’t. It seemed as though she was just… existing. Competing. Opal chatted with the other legends, made befriended a few people (namely Natalie, Pathfinder, and a small, mouthy girl from the medical bay). She spent a fair amount of time in her cabin, seemingly working on projects. Natalie pointed out that it was similar to his own habits.    
  
He was not fond of the comparison. 

Still, he couldn’t help but slow his stride as he passed her cabin. He called it curiosity. 

The small room looked typical for Opal, or so he assumed. Lots of deep purples and blue, and a menagerie of tanks and aquariums lining the walls. Natalie and Mirage were standing around Opal’s desk at the center of the room, both peering into the familiar enclosure of Minerva and Arachne. The spiders were unmistakable. He was shocked they were still alive. 

“This species can actually live up to twenty-five years.” Opal hummed. “But these two are about eleven years old.” 

Natalie looked like a child in a toy store. “That is fascinating! It’s amazing to be able to see such creatures up close! Do you think I would be able to feed or handle one of them?”

_ Absolutely not. _

“That probably isn’t a great idea unfortunately.” she chuckled. “The Gaean Fog spider is exceptionally aggressive towards humans. It took me a few years to even safely collect their venom.” 

Mirage scrunched his brows together. “And… you keep them as pets? Wouldn’t your, like, hand fall off if they bit you or somethin?”

Caustic narrowed his eyes.  _ Ignorant. _

“Well, their venom doesn’t cause necrosis like that. It’s a neurotoxin.” He couldn’t believe she was  _ smiling _ about this. “It attacks the nervous system. If one of these two bit you, you’d die in about ten minutes without medical intervention. Part of my work has been developing an effective anti-venom.” 

Mirage backed away from the tank a few paces. “Okaaaay. On that note, I’m gonna leave. I am  _ not _ into this whole bug thing.” The man spun on his heal, bumping directly into Caustic’s chest. 

He glared down at Mirage, and the man let out an embarrassing noise. “OH-uh, D-Doctor… Yeah.” He squeezes past Caustic and into the hallway.

“Dr. Caustic! Have you met Miss Opal’s spiders yet?” Natalie chimed. “Aren’t they the same ones that you derive your gasses from?”

Opal offered him a smile. “Yeah, Doctor. You’re welcome to come say hello.” 

He pursed his lips. “That’s a…. Generous offer.” He cleared his throat. “But I’ll have to decline.” 

Caustic stepped away from Opal’s cabin towards his own, Natalie’s voice fading into the background. “Oh! He’s too serious.” 

* * *

**December, 2733**

Caustic swore the same holiday song had played three times since he stepped foot through the doors of Paradise that night. He honestly wasn’t as soured on the idea of a Christmas party as he appeared, he was privately a fan of eggnog and the meager excuse for “winter” Solace offered. 

Opal’s presence, however, had him sitting on pins and needles. 

It would be strange for him to  _ not _ show his face at this kind of function. He valued his social standing among the legends, after all. He wasn’t going to let  _ that girl _ foil his plans this early on. And so he had found himself tucked into his usual spot at the end of the bar, watching the festivities silently. Mirage had started a present wrapping contest that had Bangalore and Gibraltar locked in a fiery competition while Lifeline watched. Natalie sat at the bar beside Octane, investigating prosthetics he’d unceremoniously balanced on the laminate. At the far end of the bar, Opal Otrava sat beside Wraith, sharing a quiet conversation. 

The hanging bells above the door jingled faintly as Bloodhound entered the bar. They took up residence on the stool beside Caustic, prompting Mirage back to their end of the bar. He placed a second glass on the counter and a bottle of whiskey between the two of them. Bloodhound nodded in his direction, and Mirage tipped his head in response before returning to the festivities. Bloodhound removed their respirator, setting it gingerly on the bar in front of them before pouring themself a drink. 

Despite their philosophical differences, Caustic didn’t mind Bloodhound’s company. He didn’t care for any measure of spirituality, but his companion at the bar had proven to be a level headed, reserved individual. His ideal acquaintance, if he was being honest. 

“You seem to be taken by the new legend.” 

Astute as well. 

Caustic furrowed his brows, casting his gaze in Bloodhound’s direction. “I beg your pardon?”

The hunter took a sip of their whiskey. “You’ve paid her a great deal of attention, and you seem more on edge than usual since her induction.”

He swirled his own glass momentarily. Bloodhound was observant enough to disprove most of the general excuses he could offer. He was cornered. He had to keep his answers vague. 

“We may have met before. Unfortunately, the girl lacks any sense of boundaries.”

Bloodhound hummed. “I see. It’s unlike you to be so bothered by such advances.”

Caustic scoffed into his drink. “Such advances? I’m not certain I care for that kind of insinuation.”

They smiled into their whiskey. There was that sense of humor again.

Mirage called over to them. “Bloodhound! We’re going out back to shoot Bangalore’s gun at bottles! You should come!”

Bloodhound finished their drink and stood. “Would you care to join, doctor?”

“I believe I’ve had my fill of holiday festivities for the evening. Thank you.” Caustic poured himself another drink.

The legends funneled out of the bar, and it was suddenly quiet except for the gentle lul of music in the background. He eyed the bottle of whiskey before him, wondering how suspicious it would be to leave before the rest returned. That was certainly preferable to the inevitable ceremony bidding goodnight the  _ proper _ way would be. 

The sound of footsteps pulled his attention from the whiskey bottle, and he was suddenly face to face with Opal. When the others left, she had apparently stayed back. It was the first time since joining the games that she addressed him directly. 

“It looks like you’ve built quite the life with this ragtag group, Alex.” 

His name on her tongue ice his veins over. At one point, that gesture would have warmed him, but in that moment it was a chilling beacon of anxiety. 

He steeled himself. “I would appreciate it if you refrained from using that name.” His tone was terse, colder than the tone he used when they were in Natalie’s presence. 

She smiled. He hated it.    
  
“Right, right. Sorry.” 

There was something about the  _ casual _ approach she had that grated. As if they were friends and their interactions didn’t skirt a razor’s edge. He had a difficult time holding his tongue. “You’re brave to join the games, Miss Otrava-”

“Actually,” she cut him off. “It’s ‘Doctor’ now. I completed my masters in ecology at the University of Zaldana.” She reached across him for the bottle of whiskey, and filled her own glass. “You know, it was a blessing that I had Minerva and Arachne with me, seeing as all my potential references were dead.” 

There it was, that mouthy sense of humor that ground his nerves into dust. His jaw clenched. He was done with these games. “Why are you here?”

Opal smiled into her drink. “I don’t think there’s an answer I can give you that will mend the mood you’re in.” 

“Mood? That-” he groaned. She was doing this intentionally. “My patience wears thin,  _ Doctor _ . Now I will ask again,  _ why are you here? _ ”

The girl looked up at him for a moment, her eyes meeting his own. It was almost unnerving. “I’m here to see you. There were some things left unsaid between us, afterall.” 

Caustic’s eyes widened briefly. He had expected that answer, to some degree, having spent ten years regretting the impulse already. But Opal’s tenacity and sudden transparency still managed to stun him. What was he supposed to say? This girl had followed him to a different planet over such a small gesture - Certainly she hadn’t thought about that moment as hard as he had.

_ As hard as I- _

Dangerous. It was a dangerous situation, and a dangerous line of thought. This girl could undo every action he’d taken over the last ten years with one sentence and he had  _ absolutely nothing _ to leverage against her. 

His gaze bore into her, brows furrowed at the girl’s unwavering, infuriatingly easy expression. “You’re treading dangerous waters, Doctor Otrava. You should mind that curious nature of yours.” 

Opal shook her head, clearly amused by his words. “You underestimate me, Alex. And please, call me Op-”

He set his glass down with enough force to end her sentence. “Niceties won’t be necessary,  _ Doctor _ . I advise you to think twice before you address me next time.” 

Opal deflated slightly at the sudden outburst, but offered no other words. He stood, starting for the door without sparing a glance. 

* * *

**Late January**

Caustic eyed the Planet Harvester that had towered over World’s Edge for the last week. Even without the occasional tremor that rippled through the mountains, Hammond Robotics was an ominous presence that seemed to have the other legends on edge. 

He supposed he was on edge as well. 

The match had been grueling. His teammates had died off in round one, brazenly leaving the safety of the building they had commandeered to attempt to accost Gibraltar during his bombardment. He felt no pity for them, and considered it a silent blessing that their banners were far out of his reach. 

It was round four, and he’d done well to avoid conflict so far. He’d found a place close to the center of the ring - the third floor of a building in Capital City. He’d be able to move if he needed to, and approaching him would be almost impossible. It was the best he could make of the situation, despite being low on ammunition and first aid supplies. There was a trap placed at every angle, away from corners to take trespassers off guard. It was common to see traps set at the first floor and roof, this set up would lore then unsuspecting into his den and afford him some easy points, even with his limited supplies. Patience would reward him. 

A door opened on the first floor, prompting his attention away from the window. The door closed, a single set of footsteps padding across the floor. The quiet hiss of the zipline informed him that his visitor was heading straight for the roof, and they were alone. That was good for him. After a brief moment of deliberation, he decided he’d chase the kill, trusting in his own ability. 

Caustic readied his peacekeeper, doing well to move up the stairs as silently as possible. There was a large firefight going on at Epicenter that masked the sound of his footsteps rather well. He raised the peacekeeper to aim down sights as he rounded the corner at the top of the stairs, only to be met with the barrel of a wingman. Opal gazed down the sights of the pistol intensely for a moment, before relaxing her shoulders. 

“Ah, to what do I owe the pleasure, Doctor?”

_ Of course. _

Neither of them lowered their weapons. “I’d hardly call this a pleasure.” 

The girl smiled playfully. “Why not? The sun is shining, Talos is a beautiful planet, afterall. At least until Hammond destroys it.” 

He was tired. “Neither of us have time for this, Miss Otrava.” 

“It seems we both have plenty of time, actually.” She hummed, glancing at the timer on her banner. “This round isn’t over yet, the remaining teams are all battling it out in Epicenter. I’ve been trying to get this kind of quality time with you for weeks now, Ale-”

Caustic shifted his aim and pulled the trigger, putting a shell in the pavement at Opal’s feet. She flinched, but just barely. “Watch your tone.”

“You’re so dramatic.” she chuckled. “Are you genuinely that disinterested in me?”

He had to think  _ hard _ about his answer. Caustic knew he couldn’t be too forthcoming. The truth was he hadn’t stopped thinking about her since she joined the games - or longer. But that was the last thing he wanted to tell her.

“Disinterested… no. Suspicious is a better term.” 

“So you  _ are _ interested in me?”

_ Damn it. _

He tightened his grip on the gun in his hands. “I’ve had enough of these games, Miss Otrava. Tell me why you’re here.’ 

“Not everything is done in the interest of ulterior motives.” She started, cocking a brow in his direction. “Is it not enough that I just wanted to see you? You didn’t exactly leave on the best of terms, and believe it or not, you played an important role in my life at the time.” 

Caustic narrowed his eyes at the sentiment. He couldn’t detect malice in her town, but sentimentality somehow felt more dangerous.”What did you expect from this childish little reunion? An apology? Or perhaps some sort of tenderness?”

Opal’s expression twisted into one of frustration. “An apology? I’d never expect something like that from you. Especially since you seem to think so little of me.” 

There was something about her words that tugged at him, inciting a sudden anxiety in his chest. He didn’t have time for these kinds of sentiments, Opal was a threat and he had to treat her as such. “Then it appears we’ve come to an impasse, Miss Otrava.”

Opal sighed, shaking her head at him. “You’ve always been so stubborn. You’re the one making this difficult.”

“Things were not difficult until you-”

The ground beneath them rumbled, stronger than any of the quakes they’d experienced that week, the pavement beneath them cracking uncomfortably under the stress of the shift. A moment of silence followed, the gunfire in Epicenter quieting in the shift. The ground shook again, this time pitching the entire building forwarding, Caustic stumbling into the trailing beside Opal. 

She giggled nervously, glancing first over the edge of the building, and then up at him. They were much closer now, and he could see a flash of mischief in her eyes. “See, you can’t resist me.” 

He saw red for a moment, but his thoughts were interrupted once more by a rumble from the earth beneath them. This one was deeper, seeming to shake the planet to it’s very core. There was a large crack from the mountains nearby, Caustic turning his attention to the planet harvester. The ground between the cliffs began to split, ripping open to reveal the molten heart of Talos. The fissure spread, tearing down the hillside towards the capital, swallowing the construction site whole. Buildings swayed, the cement splintering and crumbling from the inorganic movement, destroying the sidewalks below. A taller building at the center of the capital pitched violently to the side, snapping like a twig, and collapsed across the fissure and into the corner of the building where they stood. 

Caustic stumble back from the railing as the buildings collided, tearing open the building to the elements. The pavement cracked as a large chunk of the building crumbled to the ground beneath them. Opal lost her fooding, slipping with the pavement as it fell -

He grabbed her hand, momentarily dangling the girl from the edge of the broken roof, while they waited for the quaking to stop. It felt like an eternity, but could not have been more than thirty seconds. As soon as he was able to regain his footing, Caustic pulled Opal back onto the room, both panting from the sudden rush of adrenaline. 

The wreckage dominoed through Capital City, a new, searing red scar stretching across the planets surface. 

_ “All remaining legends, please evacuate the arena.” _

He turned his attention back to Opal, who’s attention was fixated on the fissure that had almost killed them. She looked…. Enamoured, gray eyes wide with an almost childlike sense of wonder. Caustic felt something catch in his chest, and he quickly became aware of how close they were sitting. 

Suddenly, her eyes were on him, and she was smiling. “You saved me.”

He didn’t have a response. 

“You didn’t have to, but you still did-”   
  
_ Don’t say it. _

“Just like that night in the labs.”

Anxiety began to well in his chest. 

“Alex, no one else can hear us now. All the cameras are on Epicenter, and the Harvester. The stream stopped.”

This couldn’t happen again, he wouldn’t allow her to get closer than she was.

“I don’t know why you left, and I know tracking you down like this was extreme-”

She could ruin  _ everything _ . She could poison the legends against him, thwart his plans and ruin the identity he’d worked so hard to create for himself with the snap of her finger. 

“I know there’s…. Some part of you that- That cares about me.”

This girl - this inconsequential, foolish girl - had unknowingly ascended the tower of his lies and it could all come crumbling down around them. 

“I refuse to believe you’re some monster, even if that was your intention.” 

His efforts to distance himself from her thus far had failed catastrophically. This girl had somehow managed to bore her way into his life and was slowly eating him from the inside out. 

He needed her out of the way before things got worse. Before -

Before she got hurt. 

“Alex?”

He was uncertain how long he’d sat there, deliberating his position. He needed to scare her.

“You’re a fool, Miss Otrava. A naive fool.”

She made a face, obviously taken aback by his words. 

“You’re a stupid girl, with a sickeningly romantiscized idea of our relationship. I don’t have time for this.” His words grated his own conscious. 

Opal faltered visibly, for the first time he’d ever seen. She looked hurt, like she was having trouble processing his words. 

_ Good. _

“I know what you’re doing, Alex. It won’t work.” 

_ Damnit _ . 

Caustic grabbed her shoulder roughly, backing her into the wall nearest them. “You think you know me so well, but you’re just an idealistic child. You put so much stake in a single action from ten years ago when you clearly know  _ nothing _ about me.” 

Opal grit her teeth, grabbing his arm instinctively and giving it a tug. She was smart, and far more competent in combat that he could have imagined. But neither of those things made up for the difference in their size and strength. 

Still, she was undeterred. “You can put on whatever show you need to, but I’m not an idiot, Alex. I know this is an act and I’m not scared of you.”   
  
Her eyes were intense, and he believed her words to be true. She wasn’t afraid of him. In fact, he was almost certain that the girl before him wasn’t afraid of anything. And he needed that to change. 

Caustic’s hand moved on its own, releasing her shoulder for a split second before curling around her throat. He leaned into her ear. “You should fear me.”

His grip tightened, and he could feel the girl wheeze beneath his hand. She grabbed at his hand, struggling despite the obvious disadvantage. Pinprick tears formed in her eyes, and a hollow feeling formed in the pit of his stomach. 

He was a monster.    
  
At least now she’d understand that. 

Moments dragged on, and Opal’s hands eventually fell to her side. He told himself over and over that his actions were nothing but theatrics. The respawn system would see to that.

A sharp, searing pain exploded from the side of his neck. His hand rapidly went numb, fingers loosening around Opal’s neck involuntarily until she slipped from his grasp completely. She fell to the pavement, sputtering and gasping to catch her breath. 

Caustic took a step back, the world suddenly shifting around him. He reached his neck to find the source of the pain - a syringe with the remnants of an unknown yellow liquid. 

“What- What did you…?”

The pain clawed through his veins, sunbursts dotting his vision, his chest seizing uncomfortably.    
  
This was the same venom from the labs.    
  
She was going to kill him.

He dropped to his knees, the pain distracting him from the irony of his situation. He looked at Opal, and she met his gaze with an intense stare.    
  
“You shouldn’t underestimate me, Alex.” 

He blacked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tune in next time for:
> 
> Caustic regretting everything he's ever done in his entire life


End file.
